RECYCLING END-OF-LIFE BATTERY: LITHIUM-ION-NICKEL-COBALT-ALUMINUM OXIDE WITH IN-SITU PYROLYSIS AND WATER LEACHING

• Main Author: Timothy, Angelina
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/73805
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

The surging energy demands and the Paris Agreement’s commitment to achieving Net Zero Emissions (NZE) have driven the growing utilization of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). As LIBs usage increases, the quantity of spent LIBs will soon escalate. Recycling of LIBs is necessary to ensure an adequate supply of LIB materials, prevent environmental pollution, and capitalize the high economic value of the components contained in spent LIBs. The development of LIB recycling methods in the industry is still ongoing. This study aims to explore an enviromentally friendly recycling process for LIBs utilizing in-situ pyrolysis and water leaching methods. The influence of pyrolysis temperature on the pyrolisis products, evaluate the effect of leaching time on the solubility of pyrolysis products, and the formation of solid residue from leachate evaporation are studied in this research. A series of experiments had been conducted, including the discharging process from battery, in-situ pyrolysis of the battery, and water leaching of the pyrolyzed battery electrode material. The LIB samples used was Panasonic NCR 18650B with Li(Ni,Co,Al)O2 (NCA) cathode. The discharging process used seawater. In-situ pyrolysis experiments was carried out at temperatures from 500–900°C. Water leaching was conducted for 30–90 minutes. To analyze the pyrolysis products, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope – Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) were used to characterize solid residues and evaporated leachate products. The leachate and the solid residues from leaching were examined with Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine the solubility of pyrolysis products. The XRD and SEM-EDS results indicated an increasing reduction of the cathode material as the pyrolysis temperature rises. The reduction of the cathode material occurred through carbothermic and aluminothermic reactions. Starting at a pyrolysis temperature of 700°C, the peak of the nickel-cobalt metal phase appeared in the XRD analysis. The size of the nickel-cobalt metal increased from 0,68 ?m at 500°C to 7,15 ?m at 900°C. The pyrolysis produts soluble in water mainly was Li2CO3 at all pyrolysis temperatures. In the evaporated leachate of the pyrolysis product at 900°C, LiOH.H2O was formed from the reaction of LiAlO2 with water. The weight of dissolved lithium from the pyrolysis product at all temperature at 90 minutes leaching time were about 45,12% to 58,47%. The composition of the solid residues was dominated by nickel-cobalt metal and carbon. A proposed recycling process for spent LIBs was suggested based on the findings of this research.